Think tank calls for health and social care integration ‘reboot’

Leading not for profit think tank Localis has called for a reboot of health and social care integration following the General Election.

New research published by Localis says health and social care integration is dependent on moving away from structural integration and reliance on central policy direction.

In a series of recommendations, the body calls for the government to recommit to the 2014 Social Care Act cap on high care costs in its social care green paper.

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It says this will require increased state spending to support the system and urges the government to explore funding options, including new local and national taxes as well as the reform of age related benefits, including the Winter Fuel Allowance.

Localis recommends that the government should support better collaboration around finance and commissioning locally.

It calls on the government to transfer social care funding responsibility from the Department for Communities and Local Government to the Department for Health (DoH).

Localis argues that the alignment of funding and policy centrally would help local leaders build better relationships with the DoH.

The think tank also calls on the government to set up a medium strategy for the integration of social, primary and community services to 2025.